Brother Releases Bluetooth m-Print [Archive]

Janak Parekh

09-23-2003, 09:30 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.brother.com/usa/common/release/2003/mprint.pdf' target='_blank'>http://www.brother.com/usa/common/r...2003/mprint.pdf</a><br /><br /></div>Jason posted on the Brother m-Print, an extremely portable printer suitable for PDA-sized applications, <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9490">a few months ago</a>. It looks like they have now released a Bluetooth version, and in fact Expansys <a href="http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=106663">has it for sale</a>, which makes it that much more practical for a BT-enabled PDA.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/1447_large.jpg" />

maikii

09-24-2003, 04:22 AM

I recently purchased another portable printer, the HP 450 CBI.

This Brother unit looks still smaller and lighter, but has one MAJOR disadvantage--it will only print on its proprietary special paper! It won't print on plain paper, probably also not photo paper, envelopes, cards, or anything else!

The HP unit can function as a good all-purpose printer--text, graphics, photos, all kinds of paper, etc. You can even replace the black cartridge with HP's special photo cartridge, which is supposed to get better quality photos. (Although I've found it to get good quality photos with the regular cartridges.) It can print photos directly from a CF card too, without a computer.

It also has Bluetooth capability, although not right out of the box. You have to purchase a special CF card for that, to put in the printer's CF card slot. (From what I've read, I think only one kind of Bluetooth CF card will work for that, the Anycom CF-2001, which retails for about $90-100. I haven't purchased that.) It also can connect to a parallel port, as well as USB.

The CBI unit I bought includes the battery. (The CI version doesn't include the battery, you have to buy it separately if you want a battery for that model number.) I got it on sale at Office Depot for $249, which included a $35 merchandise certificate. (That was a couple weeks ago, I don't know if they still have that sale. I think their regular price is $299, which is still better than what most charge for it.) (Not that that's a good price for a printer in general these days, with many selling for under $100, but since the list price for this unit (which most charge) is $349, $249 plus $35 in free merchandise (which one could figure lowers the price of the unit to $215), is quite a good price.

I don't know what the price of this Brother unit is, but even if the initial price were much lower, in the long run it would probably cost much more, due to the high price that is probably charged for their special paper.

I know of one other full-featured portable printer, the Canon I-70. (I think that's the number.) I think slightly smaller and lighter than the HP, looks like perhaps it's less sturdy as well. I haven't tried one though. I don't think there is any version of that which includes the battery, so if you want the battery for it, you have to pay a lot extra. Also no parallel port capability, and no CF card slot, Bluetooth, etc.

I think someone would only want to buy the Brother printer mentioned in this article (and a couple other similar types) if one really needed the ultimate in small size and low weight. Otherwise, there is a large trade-off in capability of using different types of paper and media, etc.